Ask Linda 1883-Stroke and distance for out of bounds

Hi Linda,

Our committee has decided not to use the new out of bounds rule. Instead they are making it a local rule that we have to play 3 off the tee. Is this acceptable?

Thanks,

Lulu from Spain

Dear Lulu,

Allow me to clear up a misconception. The new two-stroke penalty option for a ball that has been hit out of bounds is available via Local Rule only; it is not a Rule of Golf. The requirement to play another ball under stroke and distance when you hit your ball out of bounds is still an actual Rule of Golf [Rule 18.2b]; it does not require a Local Rule to be in effect. If you hit your tee shot out of bounds, your next stroke must be from the teeing area, and it will count as your third stroke on the hole.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1882-Stand behind player to help spot ball

Linda,

Especially at this time of year in Scotland the sun is low in the sky. In order to see where the ball goes when driving, one of your fellow golfers stands behind you to watch for the ball. They are not giving any advice other than watching for the ball. Under the new rules, is this allowed, as it now says, “You cannot have your caddie or your partner standing behind you once you begin taking your stance”.

Yours gratefully,

Lulu from Scotland

Dear Lulu,

Since the Rule [10.2b(4)] prohibits the caddie from deliberately standing behind the ball on an extension of the line of play for any reason, you may not ask your caddie (or your partner or your partner’s caddie) to stand behind you to help spot the ball. You may, however, ask other players or opponents to stand there.

You may want to ask someone to stand safely behind you but off to one side or the other. There is certainly no penalty for doing that, and standing off to the side may provide a better vantage point. For safety purposes, ask them to stand at least one pace off to either side of the extension of the line of play.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1877a-Follow-up question to #1877

Dear readers,

I have rewritten the answer to #1880a. My thanks to the reader from the U.K. who pointed out my mistake.  Please revisit the column:

https://lindamillergolf.blogspot.com/2019/03/ask-linda-1880a-follow-up-to-1880.html

Hi Linda,

Regarding Ask Linda 1877-Deliberately stop a ball from rolling into a penalty area:

If we are playing Stableford or some other format, where there is no chance of scoring on the hole, is it OK to stop the ball then? Rule 11.2 has an exception, but it’s for match play. We occasionally have a request: "This is my last shot on this hole, can you stop it after it goes past the hole please".

Lulu from Australia

Dear Lulu,

Yes. You may ask someone to stop a ball that goes past the hole when failure to hole the ball would result in zero Stableford points. The same would hold true for any format where the player will exceed the maximum score. When I answered the original question, I assumed a stroke-play format in which the player was required to hole out.

As you noted, there is a written exception under Rule 11.2 that applies specifically to match play. If a player deliberately stops his opponent’s ball when there is no reasonable chance that it can be holed, and this is done as a concession or because the previous stroke needed to be holed to tie the hole, there is no penalty.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1881-Repair green when ball off green

Hi Linda,

Can you repair pitch marks and spike marks on the green if your ball is not on the green?

Thanks,

Lou from Italy

Dear Lou,

Yes.

A player may repair damage on the putting green regardless of where his ball lies [Rule 13.1c].

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1880a-Follow-up to #1880 (Player plays provisional)

Hi Linda,

May the player declare his first ball unplayable, standing on the tee!, and take the provisonal ball for ball in play ?

Thanks,

Lou from Belgium

Dear Lou,

No.

The player may suspect (or know) that his first ball from the tee is unplayable, but if he declares the second shot from the tee a provisional, that ball may not serve as the ball played under the stroke-and-distance relief option for an unplayable ball. The provisional ball has only one purpose, which is to serve as the ball in play should the original ball be lost outside a penalty area or out of bounds.

If the player goes forward to search for his original ball and finds it, he must abandon the provisional ball. If he decides that the original ball is unplayable, he must choose one of the relief options for an unplayable ball. If he chooses the stroke-and-distance relief option, he must return to the tee (which is where he hit his previous stroke). This tee shot will be his third shot on the hole. No strokes with the provisional ball will count. 

However, if the player hits a third ball off the tee for an unplayable ball, before going forward to search for his original ball, that third ball becomes the ball in play and is the player’s fifthshot on the hole. You cannot disregard play of the provisional ball unless the original ball is found. 

If the player is certain his original ball is unplayable, and he decides his best (or only workable) relief option is to play another ball under stroke and distance, he should simply play another ball from the tee. The only reason to play a provisional ball would be if he suspects the original may be lost outside a penalty area or out of bounds. 

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda-Further question regarding Vijay’s drop

Dear Linda,

In case of the left pin as shown below in orange, is it allowed to have reference point (R) behind yellow line but in the penalty area with part of relief area one club-length (x) on the near side of green?

Regards,

Lou from Thailand

Dear Lou,

This is an excellent question. A careful reading of Rule 17.1d does not reveal a prohibition on the reference point being in the penalty area. It only prohibits the relief area from being in the same penalty area. Therefore, I would think that if there were a small slice of relief available outside the penalty area that is no closer to the hole and within one club-length of a reference point that is back on the line on the green side of the penalty area, it would be permitted to drop in that small slice. 

Personally, I would like to see an official clarification about this issue from the ruling bodies. I understand the concept that what the Rules do not prohibit they permit. But allowing the reference point for relief to be in the penalty area and allowing players to drop on the green side of a yellow penalty area is so contrary to everyone’s prior understanding of how to take relief from a yellow penalty area that I believe this is one case where what is permitted should be spelled out. 

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Further comment from Lou:

Hi Linda...

Actually my point is this:

Every island green with yellow line, there would be a chance (up to the pin position) to drop on the island side or even on the green with reference point in the penalty area and behind the yellow line.

If people start to get familiar with this application, every time of the similar situation they would walk to the green first to check if allowed to drop near the green or not. No provisional ball allowed since the ball is in the penalty area. 

Imagine… TPC Sawgrass hole 17…if all 3 balls hit the green and go into the yellow penalty area. Everyone would walk to the green to check if dropping on green side allowed firstly. Will this kill pace of play that we are looking for? There also are chances this would occur on other par 4 & 5 elsewhere…Walk and check first… Chaos…

Regards,

Lou from Thailand

My response:

You make an excellent point, Lou. It would seem that the authors of the new Rules did not anticipate such a scenario. I suspect that if this becomes the case, and play is significantly delayed, they may want to reconsider this Rule at some point in the future.

Regards,

Linda

Ask Linda 1880-Player prefers provisional

Hi Linda,

My question is about cancelling your first tee shot and declaring your provisional ball the ball in play.  

The player really likes his 3^rdshot off the tee (that he had called a provisional) – and tells his fellow golfers he will not be looking for his original tee shot. 

1. Is his ball no longer a provisional because he says so?

2. What if one of the other players finds the original ball before the player is able to play his “provisional”?

3. Is it true that you can’t “declare” a ball lost?

4. Match play – can an opponent make an effort to locate the original ball? (It might be in his interest.)

CHEERS,

Lulu from Queenstown, New Zealand

Dear Lulu,

There is no requirement that a player search for his original ball. However, if it is found within three minutes and before the provisional becomes the ball in play (see Rule 18.3c), he must abandon the provisional and continue play with the original.

Here are the answers to your questions:

1. No. Once a player announces and plays a provisional ball, he cannot change the status of that ball by declaration.

2. If the original ball is found within three minutes and before the player has a chance to play the provisional, he must abandon the provisional and continue play with the original.

3. That is true. A ball does not become “lost” under the Rules by declaration.

4. Anyone, in any form of play, may search for the player’s ball.

Please take a moment to read Rule 18.3.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1879-Fresh air shot on tee

Dear Linda,

While playing last weekend at my club one of my playing partners took what we used to call a ‘fresh air’ shot on the tee. He replaced his ball on the tee on the other side of the tee and played. He eventually holed out on the par 5 and stated to his marker that he had scored a six on the hole. I queried his score and said that it should be seven as he had miscounted and not included his ‘fresh air’ shot. He disagreed and stated that under the new rules and as his ball was still in the teeing area that there was no penalty.

Is this true? Is a 'fresh air' shot on the tee now not penalised under the new rules?

Lou from Dublin, Ireland 

Dear Lou,

A fresh air shot, or whiff, still counts as a stroke, even if you are hitting from the teeing area. Any time you swing at a ball with the intention to hit it, you have made a stroke – actual contact is not required [Definition of “Stroke”].

The Rules have changed with regard to what you are allowed to do on the teeing area. Prior to 2019, if you whiffed your tee shot and the ball fell off the tee, you would have to play the ball from its position on the ground. That Rule has changed and is considerably kinder. Whenever your ball remains in the teeing area after a stroke, you are permitted to lift the ball, move it to another spot on the ground or re-tee it anywhere within the teeing area, and even use a different ball [Rule 6.2b(6)]. 

The player in your narrative was permitted to re-tee with no penalty, but his stroke at the ball must count in his score.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1877a-Follow-up question to #1877

Hi Linda,

Regarding Ask Linda 1877-Deliberately stop a ball from rolling into a penalty area:

If we are playing Stableford or some other format, where there is no chance of scoring on the hole, is it OK to stop the ball then? Rule 11.2 has an exception, but it’s for match play. We occasionally have a request: "This is my last shot on this hole, can you stop it after it goes past the hole please".

Lulu from Australia.

Dear Lulu,

Yes. You may ask someone to stop a ball that goes past the hole when failure to hole the ball would result in zero Stableford points. The same would hold true for any format where the player will exceed the maximum score. When I answered the original question, I assumed a format in which the player was required to hole out.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1878-Search time interrupted by playing wrong ball

Linda,

I need help with the lost ball rule! What does “mistakenly identified his ball” while searching mean as a reason for interrupting the search time? Just because you see a ball in the water...can that be a reason to interrupt the 3-minute time for search?  Can that be interpreted as identifying your ball and when you finally retrieve the ball...you find out it’s not yours...please explain. 

Thanks in advance.

Lou from Avondale, Arizona

Dear Lou,

The time spent searching, retrieving, and identifying your ball counts in your search time. Merely seeing a ball does not stop the search clock.

What is meant by “mistakenly identified his ball” being a reason to stop the clock is explained in the first bullet of Interpretation 18.2a(1)/1, which I have pasted below for you. Basically, if you search for two minutes, find a ball, mistakenly identify it or assume it is yours and play it, and then discover that it is not yours, you have one more minute to search for your original ball. The time you spend playing the wrong ball does not count in your search time.

Interpretation 18.2a(1)/1

Time Permitted for Search When Search Temporarily Interrupted

A player is allowed three minutes to search for his or her ball before it becomes lost. However, there are situations when the "clock stops" and such time does not count towards the player's three minutes. 

The following examples illustrate how to account for the time when a search is temporarily interrupted: 

•      In stroke play, a player searches for his or her ball for one minute and finds a ball. The player assumes that ball is his or her ball, takes 30 seconds to decide how to make the stroke, choose a club, and plays that ball. The player then discovers that it is a wrong ball.

•      When the player returns to the area where the original ball was likely to be and resumes search, he or she has two more minutes to search. The time of search stopped when the player found the wrong ball and stopped searching.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

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Ask Linda 1877-Deliberately stop a ball from rolling into a penalty area

Linda,

Can a player stop another player’s ball from going into a penalty area (water) without incurring a general penalty?

Player A hits his ball from a greenside bunker. Player B is standing on the other side of the green. Once Player A skulls his ball out of the trap, he yells “stop the ball”. Player B reacts and stops Player A’s ball from going into the water. Is there a penalty on Player B for stopping the ball?

Lou from Avondale, Arizona

Dear Lou,

A player may not deliberately stop a ball in motion [Rule 11.2]. Player B will get the general penalty for stopping Player A’s ball.  

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1846 and 1875 edited, plus new link for Vijay drop

Dear readers, 

Please revisit #1846 (https://lindamillergolf.blogspot.com/2019/02/ask-linda-1846-ball-crosses-yellow.html). I edited the last paragraph of my answer based on the ruling for Vijay's drop.

Please revisit #1875 (https://lindamillergolf.blogspot.com/2019/03/ask-linda-1875-relief-from-junction-box.html). I have added a third paragraph to my answer at the suggestion of a reader from Ireland.

Try this link to view Vijay's drop: 
http://lindamillergolf.blogspot.com/2019/03/vijays-drop-on-hole-17-at-pga-national.html

Linda

Overhead view of Vijay's drop

Dear readers,

Please revisit the following link for an overhead view of Vijay Singh's relief on Hole #17 at the Honda Classic. A tech-savvy reader from the U.K. was able to convert my pdf to a jpg, making it possible for me to post the illustration.

http://lindamillergolf.blogspot.com/2019/03/vijays-drop-on-hole-17-at-pga-national.html

Ask Linda 1876-Stand behind another player

Hi Linda,

In a recent tournament, on a putting green, a player was standing behind another player as he was about to make his putt. The offending player was advised that he was not permitted to stand behind the player whilst he is putting (or making a stroke off the putting green). However, when I tried to look up the rule after the round in the new rules book, I couldn't find any rule that actually prohibits this action. Rule 10.2 - Advice and Other Help would seem to be the obvious place for such a rule, but it doesn't seem to address this situation and 10.3 only refers to caddies.

Could you assist me in locating the rule that covers this situation?

Regards,

Lou from Bermuda

Dear Lou,

I cannot; I do not believe it exists. Unless the other player is the player’s partner, there is no Rule that prohibits a player from standing on an extension of the line of play behind a player’s ball.

However, it could be an etiquette issue. Players are expected to show consideration to others. If the player who was putting were to ask the other player to move away because he found his presence distracting, the other player would be expected to move. This is simply good manners; I can’t imagine anyone refusing to honor such a request. 

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1875-Relief from junction box

Hi Linda, 

When playing golf yesterday, my Tee shot came to rest one foot in front and middle of the metal electricity junction box (about 2 feet wide), a little beyond the boundary of the Fairway. As my back swing to the intended line of play was being interfered with by the box, I stood on its right where I had no interference from the box, which brought me on the Fairway, NOT nearer the hole. I then dropped the ball within one club-length, which rolled another foot away. I am right-handed. The junction box is left of the Fairway –approximately three feet off the Fairway – as one is looking from Tee to the hole. My fellow golfer however insisted that I should have stood on the left of the box (and not on the Fairway) to avoid its interference with my back swing to the intended line of play. Could you please clarify the Rule? 

Regards 

Lou from Pune, India

Dear Lou,

Your fellow golfer was correct.

If you are a right-handed golfer, and the immovable obstruction (two-foot junction box) is on the left side of the fairway in the rough, you’re nearest point of complete relief (NPCR) will be on the left side, in the rough. In the same situation, the NPCR for a left-handed golfer would be on the right side of the obstruction, in the fairway.

In seeking free relief from an immovable obstruction, you must find the nearest point of complete relief, not the most favorable point. If you were to simulate the stroke you would use to play the shot if the obstruction were not there, you would easily see that you would have to take your relief to the left of this particular obstruction. Please read the Definition of “Nearest Point of Complete Relief.”

I am a little concerned about your drop. If the ball rolled one foot but remained within the relief area (within one club-length of the reference point, no closer to the hole), your drop was good. However, if it rolled outside the relief area, you are required to re-drop. Failure to re-drop would result in the general penalty.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1874-Integral object confusion

Dear Linda,

As a new golfer, I appreciate your simple explanations on how to apply the Rules of Golf. Thank you for providing this free service. 

One of our out-of-bounds areas is marked by a barbed-wire fence. For safety reasons, there is an A-shaped stile to get over it. A player's ball came to rest against this ladder on the in-bounds side. She treated it as an immovable obstruction, and took free relief. Should this artificial object be considered an integral object "as part of the challenge of playing the course from which free relief is not allowed"? If so, the definition of integral object also states these artificial objects are to be "treated as immovable" (which would allow free relief?). It references Rule 8.1a, which does not seem to address this issue. Even more confusing is the last sentence of the integral object definition: "Integral objects are not obstructions or boundary objects". So what exactly is our boundary fence stile? And which rule applies to relief options? Perhaps you can provide examples of specific integral objects to help clarify.

Thank you much,

Lulu from Stillwater, Oklahoma

Dear Lulu,

The stile is an immovable obstruction. The player is entitled to free relief under Rule 16.1. 

Nothing on the course is an “integral object” unless the Committee declares it to be an “integral object.” Should your Committee decide to declare the stile an integral object (and I see no reason why they would want to do that), the player would not be entitled to free relief. If she could not hit her ball, she could declare it unplayable and proceed under one of the relief options for an unplayable ball in Rule 19.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1873-Wrap handkerchief around grip

Dear readers,
A reader from Spain sent me an overhead picture illustrating Vijay Singh's relief from the penalty area on Hole #17 at the Honda Classic. You should be able to view it at this link, which you may have to copy and paste into your browser:

file:///Users/llmillergolf/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail/Data/Library/Mail%20Downloads/6ECC9FE4-09AA-4A2E-8141-FB523BEA19BC/VJ%20at%2017-Honda%202019.pdf

Hi Linda, 

If it’s wet weather and the grips are wet are you allowed to wrap anything, e.g., a hankie, a chamois leather around the grip as you play your shot?

Lulu from Edinburgh, Scotland

Dear Lulu,

Yes.

Rule 4.3a(5) permits players to wrap a towel or handkerchief around the grip. A chamois is not mentioned, but I’m sure it would be perfectly acceptable.

If you prefer not to wear rain gloves, this is an effective way to keep the club from slipping out of your hands when you play in the rain.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1872-Should you ever hit a provisional ball?

Linda,

Happy to hear from you as we venture into 2019 rules.

How do you see the usefulness of a Provisional Ball under the new Local Rule? Should a provisional ever be called for at the club/casual level?

Lou from Hackettstown, New Jersey

Dear Lou,

Yes. 

Consider the example of a player hitting a wayward tee shot that might be out of bounds not far from the teeing area. He might want to play a provisional ball to try to get better distance out of his tee shot. 

For another example, a player may have lost his ball in some rough behind the elbow of a dogleg, such that relief two club-lengths out onto the fairway would not give him a clear shot to the green.

The Local Rule referenced by this reader is E-5: Alternative to Stroke and Distance for Lost Ball or Ball Out of Bounds.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Vijay’s drop on Hole #17 at the PGA National (Honda Classic)

Dear readers,

I received a question from one reader in the U.K. and another in Spain about Vijay Singh’s drop on the 17^thhole of the Honda Classic at PGA National last Sunday. Ordinarily I prefer not to answer questions about TV events, as there is rarely sufficient information to explain unusual rulings. In this case, however, I was able to view a detailed replay, so I will go out on a limb and attempt an explanation. 

Vijay’s ball hit up on the bank near the green and rolled into the penalty area across a yellow line. The hole was in a far right location. One of the relief options for a ball in a penalty area is to drop a ball back on the line, which is a line drawn from the hole through the estimated point where his ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area. The player establishes a reference point anywhere on that line farther from the hole than that estimated point. 

Because of the extreme-back-right hole location and the shape of the penalty area, back-on-the-line relief was available in the area where Vijay took his drop. You could hear Vijay ask the official if he had to drop right there, and the official respond that Vijay could go back as far as he wanted to on that line. Vijay picked a reference point on that line and established a one-club-length relief area. His first drop, released correctly from knee height, hit and remained in that relief area, so the drop was good and the ball was in play. 

If the flagstick had been located on the left side of the green, Vijay would not have been able to drop where he did. His choices would have been to re-tee (stroke and distance) or use the dropping zone (I believe there is a drop area for this hole). It doesn’t appear that back-on-the-line relief would be available for a left side hole location, which would explain the presence of a dropping zone.

Here is an overhead view of Vijay's relief:

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1868a-Practice during Stableford, follow-up

Dear readers,

Judging by several responses I have received to #1868, there is a bit of confusion about the third bullet in Rule 5.5a. This is the Rule that states, “Strokes made by a player in playing out a hole whose result has been decided [are not practice strokes].” Perhaps this Rule will be easier to understand if I paint a picture.

Jack, Bill, and Sue are paired together in an individual Stableford tournament. The maximum score where you will receive points is set at net bogey. On a 340-yard Par-4 with a pond to carry right in front of the tee, Bill and Sue make it safely over onto the fairway, but Jack, whose handicap is 8, inexplicably tops his first two efforts into the pond. The best he can score on the hole is 7, which is a net double bogey and will give him no Stableford points. The result of the hole for Jack has already been decided – he will get no points.

Instead of walking along watching Sue and Bill play the hole, he decides to play along with them. He joins them on the other side of the pond, drops a ball in the fairway, and hits it into deep rough on the right side. Bill has hit his second shot onto the green, and Sue’s ball lies on the fairway, ten yards off the green. Jack wants to continue playing, but he doesn’t want to hold anyone up, so he lifts his ball out of the rough, tosses it onto the fairway, and hits it onto the green. All three players complete the hole and move on to the next one.

Nothing that Jack has done is considered practice. He has incurred no penalties. His result (zero points) was decided when he topped his second tee shot into the pond. He is permitted to play out the hole for fun. He has taken care not to delay anyone’s play, and he has not had to stand around doing nothing while Bill and Sue complete the hole. Rule 5.5a is what I would call a kind Rule. There aren’t a whole lot of those, so let’s enjoy the few we have and give Jack a break.

Note that the story may be more complex in play formats other than individual play, such as four-ball. In this situation, any further play by Jack must be careful not to provide any assistance to his partner or the partner would be penalized. For example, after "wiping" the hole (Stableford score of zero points), if Jack played a further shot on the hole from the fairway that could provide club selection guidance to his partner for the partner's shot from a similar position, the partner gets the general penalty. Another example could be if Jack putts first and that guides his partner as to the break on the green [Rule 23.5b]. In match play, such actions by Jack would mean his partner is disqualified from the hole [Rule 23.6]. 

Ask Linda 1871-Lift ball on green while other ball in motion

Linda,

Player A and B are on the green. Player A is going to mark her ball. Player B putts. Is Player A able to mark her ball while Player B's ball is in motion?

Lulu from Blythe, California

Dear Lulu,

Yes.

There is no reason why a player may not mark her ball while another player’s ball is in motion. I would recommend that you wait to mark until the other ball is actually moving; some players find the movement of another player marking her ball distracting while they are in the process of setting up to putt their ball. 

While we’re talking about marking a ball on the putting green, I would like to inform everyone that the Exception to Rule 11.3 allows you to mark and lift your ball at rest when another ball in motion might hit your ball. This permission is limited to the putting green. You may also move a removed flagstick and other player equipment (except a ball-marker) out of the way of an oncoming ball.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1870-Ball on green assists partner’s play

Linda,

In a Four-Ball [Better Ball] match last week, one of our opposition was just off the green and the ball of other person in the opposition [his partner] was near the hole.

The first person in the opposition, off the green, quickly played his shot before we could ask the ball near the hole be marked. He knew that the ball near the hole could be to his advantage.

As it turned out it was. His ball hit his partner's ball near the hole and saved his ball going well past the hole.

First question is because the first person was off the green, could we insist his partner's ball near the hole be marked?

And if so, the second question is how far out could we insist that an opposition partner's ball be marked. Could it be 10 metres, 20 metres, 50 metres or maybe 100 metres?

Lou from Wellington, New Zealand

Dear Lou,

If you believe a ball on the green is in a position to help another player’s play, you may lift the ball if it is yours, or require that the ball be lifted if it belongs to someone else [Rule 15.3a]. The helping ball must be on the green; there is no limitation on the location of the other ball.

The answer to your first question is “yes” – you may insist that the helping ball be lifted. The owner of the helping ball must comply with your request. If the player refuses to lift his ball, and his partner putts with the ball in place, both players will get the general penalty (loss of hole) [Interpretation 23.8a(2)/1].

The answer to your second question requires a bit of common sense. A ball on the green is more likely to assist another player when that other player’s ball is on or relatively close to the green. If you use good judgment to conclude that the ball will assist play, you may require that it be lifted. If the ball off the green is so far away that the likelihood of assistance is small, and if lifting it will delay play, you should refrain from making the request. Ten or even 20 yards/meters would be reasonable, 50 or 100 yards/meters would not.

You will need to be a bit quicker on the draw in making your request to lift the helping ball. Your opponent wisely used his knowledge of the Rules to hit his ball before you had a chance to stop him. 

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1869-Use of earmuffs to deaden sound

Linda, 

I read this rule and see that music or other audio to eliminate distractions is not permitted. Is wearing something like earmuffs that produce no audio but do reduce or prevent audible distractions also prohibited?

Lou from Wheeling, West Virginia

Dear Lou,

Do they actually make sound-deadening earmuffs? I can hear right through mine, although I will concede that the sound is slightly reduced.

If you have found sound-deadening earmuffs, and are wearing them solely to block out distracting noises, I believe their use would not be permitted [Rule 20.3]. If you are wearing the earmuffs to keep your ears warm (something I do throughout the winter), go right ahead. We want to keep those ears toasty!

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1868-Practice during Stableford

Hi Linda,

What is the penalty for practising on a hole in a Stableford competition after the player has given up the chance of scoring any points on that hole? For example, the player has played too many shots in the rough, then drops a ball on the fairway and plays it for practice. 

Thank you.

Regards,

Lou from Tiverton, Devon, U.K.

Dear Lou,

There is no penalty in any form of play for playing out a hole whose result has been decided [Rule 5.5a].

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1867-Staked trees

Hi Linda,

Recently my group played a course that was governed by the local rule that states free relief is granted from staked trees. Several trees were staked with actual stakes implanted in the ground. However there were several trees with memorial markers (blocks with verbiage such as “ memorial for Jerry and Mary”)…I’m sure you’ve seen them. No other staking was present. Is this considered a staked tree? Or is this simply an immovable obstruction and therefore you get relief from the marker but not the tree? 

I asked in the clubhouse…no answer was provided.

Thanks in advance for your response….

Lou from Avondale, Arizona

Dear Lou,

A stake is a stake. A memorial marker is not a stake. Treat it as an immovable obstruction and take free relief accordingly – free relief from the marker, not from the tree.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.

Ask Linda 1859 resolved

Dear readers,

I have received a response from the USGA regarding the question posed in Ask Linda 1859, and have edited the answer. Please revisit the column:

https://lindamillergolf.blogspot.com/2019/02/ask-linda-1859-accidentally-move-ball.html

Ask Linda 1866-Player declares ball lost

Linda,

I'm taking you back to the last weekend of the old rules. I hit a ball into the rough and decided to hit a provisional. The area I hit into is really bad and most of the time you cannot find your ball and if you do it is not playable. I looked for the ball a couple of minutes and I declared the ball lost. At the same time another player came over and found the ball after I said, “declare it lost.” A couple of guys in the group said I had to play the original ball because it was within the five minutes of looking for a ball even though I had declared it lost. Was wondering what the rule is here.

Many thanks for your great web page.

Lou from Perth, Australia

Dear Lou,

Other than the reduction in search time from five minutes to three, the Rule has not changed as it pertains to your question. Declaring the ball lost does not make it so. If it is found within the three-minute search time (and before you have put another ball in play or played a provisional ball from closer to the hole than where the original ball was estimated to be), you must continue play with the original ball. If that original ball is unplayable, you may, of course, choose one of the penalty relief options available in Rule 19 for an unplayable ball.

Linda

Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.